


What would become of me if you go

by Zukka_turtleduck



Category: The Founder of Diabolism, The Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation, 陈情令 | The Untamed (TV), 陈情令 | The Untamed (TV) RPF, 魔道祖师 - 墨香铜臭 | Módào Zǔshī - Mòxiāng Tóngxiù
Genre: Bad Parenting, F/M, Flashbacks, M/M, Mordern AU, Slow Burn, Teacher Lan Zhan, Trauma, consitpated gay, jing ling and a-yuan as kids, lan huan/jiang cheng fluff, lan wangji dancing, lan zhan/wei ying fluff, maybe smutt, wei wuxian photographer
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-17
Updated: 2021-03-09
Packaged: 2021-03-12 13:42:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 9,512
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29510550
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Zukka_turtleduck/pseuds/Zukka_turtleduck
Summary: Lan Wangji’s mixed feelings let him partner with Wei Wuxian. Things grow more complicated when he isn’t sure if Wei Wuxian pretends they do not have a history or the man has completely forgotten what Lan Wangji would term his most precious summer.Lan Xichen has never really been one to complain but his emotions are spiralling down to a horrible state after the death of A-Yao, intense work-life he didn’t ask for and then Jaing Cheng hands him tea.OrIn which the Lan brothers have complicated feelings with their crushes.
Relationships: Jiāng Chéng | Jiāng Wǎnyín/Lán Huàn | Lán Xīchén, Lan Huan | Lan Xichen/Lan Jingyi/Meng Yao | Jin Guangyao, Lán Zhàn | Lán Wàngjī/Wèi Yīng | Wèi Wúxiàn
Comments: 4
Kudos: 24





	1. Chapter 1

His morning started at 5:00 am, as it always had for those of Lan descent. His routine was strict but gradually turned into a habit that had to be done; thirty minutes on the treadmill at the family gym, another thirty doing handstands with his older brother, a bath then breakfast; nothing out of the ordinary. 

His pristine white hoodie and a matching pair of sweatpants were what he threw on as he set out to his dance studio. His hair was tied into a neat topknot with a pale blue hair tie leaving a few strands neatly at the sides.

He arrived at the studio earlier than anyone else. His teammates always said he was 'overly dedicated' which wasn't a lie but he almost didn't have a choice either; dancing was his air. The one thing in his life that he knew he loved apart from his brother and uncle. Anyone who knew Lan Wangji would know he barely had friends and his sentences on an average day would amount to ten, he didn't hate people, he just didn't like them either. 

He went over some notes on the schedule for the day, noting the students ready for a change of class, he'd have to talk to his partner, Miamian, about their audition later. 

He had two classes today and a rehearsal with his teammates later that evening. He wasn't even going to think about the emails that he had to reply to, he made sure Miamian handled all the paperwork, her efficiency was impeccable in his eyes.

The morning class started at eight with a group of girls that wanted to audition at one of China's dance competitions signed up for a six-month training program and Wangji had to admit his admiration for their commitment. This was their fifth month and the improvements were vivid. 

"Good morning Lan-lǎoshī. Good Morning Luo-lǎoshī," they greeted when he walked with Miamian in while they did their stretches.

"Good morning. We'll be participating in a competition this weekend so you all will be split into sub-groups and then we'll have a general routine. This time, you'll have to audition if you want a solo," Miamian said, proceeding to call out the list of duos and subgroups. 

Lan Wangji was not one to speak much and would rather just dance and choreograph instead, but as a teacher, he couldn't avoid pointing out corrections and giving directions.

"Again! None of your moves are in sync." 

"Zu Yin, your arms should be higher."

"Chin Hua, mind your footwork." 

Teaching the art of dancing had gradually become his newfound love. He didn't seem to mind the constant need to correct the moves and ensuring every routine became second nature with his students.

"We'll go over it again together one more time then have a break," he said, taking the lead on counting. 

He guided them through the moves as gracefully as one would. It was a contemporary choreography, one that flaunted their strength and told the story of resilience through stormy times. Despite his ability to do well in a lot of dance styles that were far different from contemporary like hip-hop, he had a small bias towards it. It was the first style he learned, Lan Qiren, did not approve of anything that was overtly expressive, it was much too wild for a Lan to perform such an art that seemed too common, much too wild letting the dancer go on without restraint or an obvious discipline. It was with much persuasion from his brother that he finally made a compromise letting Lan Wangji start his lessons as a contemporary dancer. 

Lan Wangji had been raised by his uncle ever since his mother died, leaving his father with severe depression for four years before he eventually passed away. His uncle had always been strict and very traditional, finding pride in following the rules laid down by the ancestors of the Lan clan, ensuring he and his brother followed almost all three thousand rules, making sure they learn to play instruments and compose music by the time they were twelve. Lan Wangji had been drawn to the guqin while his brother had taken his xiao. They both took kung fu classes, earning themselves black belts. He didn’t know how much he needed dance till he started learning it and despite the many people he had met through classes he was still very socially inept leaving all the small talk to his brother who was much more diplomatic whenever his family was invited to attend events. 

They ended the piece with a Pas de bourrée and a bow. Lan Wangji was impressed, but they had a lot of work to do.

“Better. Remember to use the mirror to make sure you’re in sync with your partner” he advised.

“Zu Yin, Wang Jiao, wait behind.” He added waiting for the rest of the students to leave.

“The both of you have a motif in the middle of the piece and you’re not putting in enough energy or expressing your emotions well enough. What is the story of the piece?” This was one of the ways he could make his students immerse themselves in their work and understand the emotions.

“Fear,” Zu Yin starts. “They’re a group of kids in a class, and then they get kidnapped on the bus. They’re later found dead except one and the motif expresses how the lone student finds her mother.”

“The feeling at this point is complicated, for the mother it’s a joy that her child is safe, but for the daughter, she’s quite traumatized and has mixed feelings towards being alive after all she’s witnessed.” Wang Jiao concludes.

He nodded. “Good. Do you think the audience would understand that based on your performances today?”

“No, Lan-Laoshi.”

“We’ll go over it again when we return.”

He let them go for their break while he went over to his office checking his email. The studio had been gaining a lot more popularity than he expected. There had been proposals coming in to recruit backup dancers for music videos, endorsements, and a few for acting roles as well. It was a great opportunity for his students, although he was quite wary of allowing the younger ones to take the stage too early. A few of them wanted to make a dance reality out of their daily routine; he only sent a simple ‘no’ in response to their emails because Miamian asked him to.

It was the same set of emails that came in that day, one particularly stood out. It was from Lotus Media. He could have sworn they were owned by one of the family members of the Jiang clan, they were one of the families Uncle Qiren made them interact with. The email was quite brief.

_The Director Could Studio,_

_Lotus Media would like to partner with the Cloud Studio in the production of its proposed dance movie._

_We would be sending a representative of the company for research purposes._

_Benefits include having some students part of the movie._

_For more information kindly reach us on this email._

_Yours Faithfully,_

_Media Director, Lotus Media_

_Wei WuXian._

The name brought back a wave of nostalgia and a slight pang of pain. He was not sure if he could handle working with him this time. His feelings were a mix of silent hope and fury. He ignored it and went back to classes, pushing him out of his mind. 

The girls had gotten better at the routine, the auditions would hold the next morning, for the duets and solos. Till then he had the afternoon with a group of middle school kids that just came back from school that day. They still need to work on getting a lot of moves right so competitions were out of the question for now. This was a different type of interesting for him. He always enjoyed students in groups like this progress from kids that danced like they had two left feet to graceful swans through determination and zeal.

He watched them move, noting those that had raw talent, those that made up for the lack of talent with extra hours of hard work, and the others that just wanted to play around. Sometimes he’d tell the students to practice handstands if they weren’t taking the class seriously, something to make them leave the class to the serious ones at least. Sometimes it worked, other times it made them more disciplined; it was a win either way.

The day went by fast, leaving him to rehearse with his teammates. They were called to perform at the biannual Gusu fundraiser that would be held in three weeks. His family was heavily involved in organizing the event, hence it had to be perfect.

They would do a fan dance, something to remind the audience of their Chinese heritage; at least that was the reason his uncle gave to him. He went along with it, going through the motions and helping some of their newer members get used to opening their fans in sync and with ease. Miamian had helped him come up with the choreography so she took over explaining the moves the first time and letting him make corrections and adjustments while they practiced.

They went over the moves for about three hours taking a few minutes in between. When they were done it was already a few minutes past eight. Lan Wangji could feel the subtle ache of his muscles, a sign that it was very much close to his bedtime. He gave a few more tips to the team then called it a night.

“Hanguang-jun,” Miamian said, walking out of the studio with him. “You haven’t replied to any of the emails yet.”

“They do not seem promising.”

“I beg to differ, why don’t we go over them again tomorrow, there would definitely be good opportunities for the students” she suggested having grown used to his weariness of random proposals.

“Mn.”

“Great, I’ll- “

“Hanguang-jun! Lan Wangji!” The sound came from a slender young man running towards them.

He was dressed in a maroon turtleneck, a dark leather jacket, and a pair of dark jeans. Despite the poor lighting, Lan Wangji could make out his delicate facial features and the hint of a smile on his eyes. He noted he wore lots of jewelry too, earrings, thin necklaces, and a couple of rings. His ink-black hair was tied in a messy bun leaving the stray strands to the mercy of the wind. 

He stopped right next to Lan Wangji, holding up a finger so he could catch his breath.

“Well damn, you’re even more handsome in person,” he said with a grin that made Lan Wangji’s insides do a little jig. “I’m Wei Wuxian from Lotus Media, it’s a pleasure to meet you,” he said holding his hand out.

“I’m Luo Qingyang, nice to meet you too,” She says, shaking his hand trying to distract him from Lan Wangji’s cold gaze.

“Uh, I sent an email earlier; I wanted to do a follow-up since I didn’t get a reply today.”

“Oh, that’s nice. Lotus media plans on sending someone to work with us for research?” she said.

“Yes. We’re working on major dance drama and we need everything to go as smoothly as possible, so we’d like to understand the life of dancers and how it works in training them.”

“No,” Lan Wangji said, walking towards his car.

“Oh, come on, Lan Wangji. At least hear me out first. Jiang Cheng is going to kill me if I don’t get this done.”

“It is past work hours.”

“Lan Wangji ” Wei Wuxian whined following him. “It’ll be a great opportunity for your students as well too, Lotus Media is already a big name in the industry. The movie’s going to be so global, their faces would be everywhere” he rambled trying to get everything out all at once despite Lan Wangji’s resolve to ignore him.

“It’s late. Go home.” Wangji replied once he was seated in his car.

“It’s not even nine yet, how is it late?” Wei Wuxian started to argue but was met with the hum of Lan Wangji’s car speeding away. “Hmph! Second most eligible bachelor in Gusu my ass.”

Qingyang giggled at his plight. “It’s been a long day; we’ll get back to you tomorrow.”

He sighed thinking of all the ways he could ask Jiang Cheng for an extra day to get this deal. “Okay. I’ll be back tomorrow then. Good night.”

Wei Wuxian could not understand how one could be so stiff. This was business, who gave a fuck about what time it was? Okay maybe someone that had been dancing and teaching all day. But still, he could have said he’d think about it right?

This movie was one he was already very invested in. He already had the outline of the story written down, a rough script, and some proposals for sponsorships that Jiang Cheng would sort out later. Fleshing it out needed more research than just a quick trip to Google. He always made sure he was thorough, he wanted to walk through the walls his characters would walk, taste what they were to eat, feel their exhaustion, their pain, and excitement. He needed to know the setting’s ins and outs. He was not determined not to leave it all to chance after the wave of criticisms that came from his last movie about poor representation of characters and cardboard personalities. He would get better, he’d make the best movie China had ever seen, and he’d be damned if he’d let Lan Wangji give him a no for an answer.

He made a few notes, made some adjustments to the partnership terms and conditions. Then went online to see what he could find out about the famous Lan Wangji. He tried not to ogle at his pictures, but that couldn’t be helped; the man was a walking beauty, if he wasn’t trying to partner with his company he’d be trying to get into his pants. He was still contemplating how he would convince him to work with them when he got a notification from his email.

_The Media Director, Lotus Media,_

_You are to resume tomorrow, 7:00 AM._

_Come with a camera. Lateness will not be tolerated._

_The Director, Cloud Studio,_

_Lan Wangji._


	2. Chapter Two

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for the views and comments on the previous chapter.  
> Enjoy!

**Chapter Two**

Wei Wuxian came in at exactly 7:40 AM, his camera bag strapped across his shoulder and a briefcase in hand. He figured he’d be up and running today, so he wore a black t-shirt, black slacks, and matching boots. His hair was tied in a messy bun with his favourite red ribbon. He felt a bit excited then decided to throw on two silver chains and a pair of earrings. 

He was led in by Quingyang; she explained that staff on the media team resigned abruptly. Since he was a professional photographer, he would offer his services while we were at Cloud Recesses, at least until they found a replacement. 

“Well, I’m down for that. You’re an instructor, too, right?” He asked as they walked down the hallways. 

“Yes, I take tap dancing and some couple dances as well.”

“Oh wow, no wonder you waltzed right into my heart so easily,” he winked.

“Oh please,” she giggled. “Let’s get you to Hanguan-jun’s class. You’ll be in charge of their media content.”

He pouted at the thought of being stuck with Mr. Fuddy-Duddy for days on end. “He’s so uptight!”

“He’s just very private,” she said, opening the door to his class. 

Lan Wangji was standing in front of a group of girls going over a routine; the music bounced off the walls of the room as their rhythm went in sync. He wasn’t sure what he was to do or say at this point, so he stood there after Quingyang had left, watching the man dressed in a pale blue t-shirt and white trousers give instructions to his students. This man was ethereal; no matter how cold he seemed, no one in their right senses could deny that Lan Wangji’s golden eyes were a gem. His fair skin as smooth as fine jade tempted one to caress it, and there was just something about the dark ponytail that swayed gracefully behind him while he demonstrated the moves. The internet did not do enough justice to his features. 

“You’re late,” he said, snapping Wei Wuxian out of his thoughts. 

“I’m just a few minutes late, Lan Wangji,” he rolled his eyes. “This would have been so much more fun with the pretty Luo Quingyang,” he groaned.

“You’re with me,” Wangji blurts out, mildly pissed. Wei Wuxian might have noticed if he wasn’t so busy winking at some of his students that were already checking him out. 

“The camera stand is over there. We’re going over it again,” Wangji announced, silencing the students with a glare then walking to the front. 

This was one of the few times Wangji could feel his heart rate increase during a rehearsal. Maybe it was because it was Wei Ying. Maybe it was because age had only made him much more endearing to Wangji; maybe it was because he could still remember his simile that was much too bright for a normal human to see, or that his grey eyes still dripped with childish mischief. He wanted Wei Ying to look at him, seeing through him just like he had done when they met ages ago, but he had stopped wishing for some things since that summer passed. 

Years of keeping his face stoic had finally paid off today. He hid his nervousness behind the mask; as his body moved through the motions with ease, he almost forgot anyone else was in the room. 

Wei Wuxian always had a photography thing, exploring the world through the lens, focusing on the relevant scenes that told stories begging to be heard. His focus today seemed to zoom in on Lan Wangji’s face. He’d zoom out, trying to capture everyone, but his gaze couldn’t help but stick to the teacher that went through the moves with them. The theme of the piece itself was heavy and dark; had he not been distracted, he would have interpreted the story they told.

He wasn’t sure why, but there was something about seeing Wangji dance that kept him mesmerized. There was something oddly familiar about his sandalwood scent, but he could not pinpoint it. He knew the guy was good; he watched a number of his performances before deciding this would be the best studio for his research work, but seeing him now, without the stage lights and effects...it feels so raw. He’s so immersed in the piece he almost forgets to turn off the camera once the music stops. 

“That was good.” Wangji’s voice breaks him out of his trance. “You can go prepare for the auditions now. Lin Feng would be coming in soon,” He announces, picking up a bottle of water from the side of the room. 

“What’s the...um..t-the,” he stutters at the sight of the man as a drop of water trails down his throat. Wei Wuxian blinks and swallows. Silently convincing himself that this is just happening because he has been alone for way too long, and it’s a normal reaction to meeting pretty men that are quite flexible and angelic, right? 

“You were saying?” Wangji prompts, staring at him like he’s almost worried. 

“Huh? Me?..the..um performance was nice...yeah..that’s it,” he scratches the back of his head then makes a fuss over the camera trying to stabilize himself. 

It’s time for the girls to audition for whatever, and he has managed to keep his hormones in check. Wangji introduced him to Lin Feng; he was also a contemporary dance instructor but was in charge of a different class. They set up a table at the side, and the girls came up when their names were called; some of them partnered up, others came for solos. 

He got it all on tape while Wangji and Li Feng compared notes and score sheets. 

“Could we go over Zu Yin’s and Wu Su’s performance again?” Li Feng Suggested. 

“Mn.”

“Zu Yin, Wu Su…” Wei Wuxian mumbled. He had already sent the videos to a laptop and was scrolling through them; thankfully, he had labelled them earlier. “Here it is.”

The three watched the performance again before Li Feng nodded and agreed that she deserved the solo this time. 

They had both decided on two teams for the duets and one soloist before calling the girls in to make the announcements. 

“Which competition exactly are they preparing for?” Wei Wuxian asked; the question was directed to Lan Wangji, but Li Feng answered on his behalf. “ It’s the Zhen Zhihao Annual dance competition. A lot of big names in the dance industry would be attending.”

“It’s a big opportunity for them then, right?”

“Yup, they’ve been working really hard for this.” 

The girls arranged themselves in the room. Waiting for the announcement. As expected, Lin Feng was the one giving the announcement. 

“As we said earlier, there’s only one slot for the solo and two for the duets. You all did well today, but we noticed a lot of shortcomings.”

“Xa Ling, you were always a beat behind,” Wangji says, then proceeds to critique each of their performances one at a time, his face stoic and indifferent. His tone is not one of harsh reprimand or disappointment; he’s simply telling them what was wrong with their routine and choreography. He offers some praise as well, which is also very specific. 

After all, was said and done, Wangji nodded, giving Lin Feng room to announce the winners. 

“For the duets, Xa Ling and Ye Xiu, and Peng Min and Tan Zexian.” The girls clapped. “The solo goes to Zu Yin, congratulations.” 

The girls clapped while a few of them held back tears. “Xa Ling and Ye Xiu, you’ll come with me, for your routine, Lan-Laoshi would train the rest of you.” They bow in agreement and go to their respective teachers while the rest of them leave the room. 

The day was long. Lan Wangji has taught the two girls their routine, and they’ve gone over it a couple of times before their time is officially up. The next batch of students came in; a group of middle school kids. They were learning the basics, Wangji explained to him when he asked. He found them adorable, really, majorly because some of them were quite mischievous, and he found it funny that Wangji asked them to do handstands to disturb the class. 

The day went on, stretching towards evening time, where they have a break before Lan Wangji’s dance crew comes in for their rehearsal. 

Wangji and Wei Wuxian sit cross-legged in the studio. Wei Wuxian munched away on a sandwich he got while Wangji had a salad. 

“Lan Wangji, how long have you been dancing?” he says with his mouth full and gains nothing but silence in return.

“Wangji-shixiong? Hanguan-jun? Wangji...” he pesters, lightly tugging at the hem of his shirt. “Lan Zhan!” 

Wei Wuxian grinned like a gremlin, happy for getting a reaction from him, even though it was a glare that made him almost nervous. “Ah...sorry. I called you by your birth name. You can call me by my birth name too. It's Wei Ying,” he offered.

The sound of his name coming from Wei Ying’s lips took him back to a time where he didn’t want to leave. He could not help but turn to face him; no one calls him by his birth name anymore, not even his brother, despite how close they are; hearing it now, it almost sounds foreign but beautiful at the same time. 

Then he smiled teasingly. How could he tease him so lightly? Did he not know the effect he had on Wangji? 

“Do not talk while eating,” he said, brows furrowed in an attempt to make him stop talking. 

Wei Wuxian was not one to back down. He stuffed the remaining sandwich down his mouth and gulped down his water in a matter of seconds. “Lan Zhan, see, I’m done,” he grinned proudly. Wangji held in the urge to roll his eyes at him, taking his time chewing. 

“Lan Zhan, hurry up. I have a bunch of questions,” he poked Lan Wangji's side. Wangji glared at him, making him take his handoff. It didn’t deter him from going on with his quest to pester him; he enjoyed getting a reaction from him, albeit an unwelcoming one. 

“Lan Zhan, how old when did you start learning to dance?” Wei Wuxian asks when Lan Wangji finishes up his meal. 

“16.” 

“Why do you like dancing?”

“It aids self-expression.”

“How many styles of dancing have you learned so far?”

“Nine”

“Ughh... Lan Zhan! I need answers, something with more depth,” he groaned in frustration. Wangji could only look at him blankly, wondering what else he was to say. 

“Okay. Let’s try this one more time. Use more than a word this time, okay?”

“Mn.”

“How does being a dance teacher make you feel?”

“Responsible…” He answered, “...fulfilled.”

Wei Wuxian groaned, taking hold of both of Wangji’s shoulders, and shook him. “Lan Zhaaann! Sentences! Sentencesssss!”

If Wangji could swear he would have, instead he glared at the man holding him, willing him to move out of his personal space. He could feel his heart rate gradually increasing, his nerves were racing, and he knew this was definitely not the time for him to be alone with his childhood crush that touches a lot while conversing. He was still contemplating what to say when Tan Huan walked in. 

Tan Huan was a member of Lan Wangji’s dance crew, most of the members worked in the studio, but a few of them had other jobs and came in the evenings for rehearsals. He arched his brows at sight, quite surprised that someone was touching Wangji but wasn’t getting a bloody nose. 

“Good evening, Wangji-shixiong,” he greeted, bowing awkwardly.

“Good evening, Tan Huan,” Wangji said, shrugging Wei Ying’s hands off him. “This is Wei Wuxian; he is helping us out with our media and rehearsal coverage for now.”

“Hello. Nice to meet you.” Wei Ying took his hand for a shake. 

Not long after, the rest of the members walked in, and Wei Wuxian positioned himself behind the camera, taking a few pictures while recording. 

He noticed how much more stern Wangji was with his teammates, setting the standards higher for them, obviously expecting more from them than his students. 

Wei Wuxian thought of the day as fun. Watching different people go through the motions was a nice scene for him. It was a cocktail of emotions in every class, excitement, fear, determination, zeal, freedom; he couldn’t name it all. He found it beautiful that Wangji would take up this task to make them the best they could be, encouraging them to become better. 

When they rounded up the class, Wei Wuxian was beyond exhausted, and he wasn’t even dancing. He could only imagine the kind of exhaustion that Wangji would feel after dancing every day for a week. It wasn’t a wonder why he wouldn’t want to talk about the business after closing hours. 

“You’re really talented, Lan Zhan. I can’t believe I’ll be seeing this every day for the next few weeks. It’ll be fun, right?”

“Mn.”

“Oh. I see. You’re still so shy. Don’t worry; we’ll become best of friends soon enough. Good night Lan Zhan,” Wei Ying said while walking back to his car. If only he knew Wangji still thought of him as his best friend since that summer. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hehe...The nerves!  
> I'd love to hear your thoughts on this chapter. Leave me some kudos if you like the fic!  
> find me on Twitter @turtleduckling_


	3. Chapter Three

**Chapter Three**

Jiang Cheng was never one to show obvious concern for his brother, Wei Wuxian, but sometimes he couldn't help it. The guy was oblivious in some cases and had a knack for causing trouble wherever he went.

It had been a week since Wei Wuxian called him saying he was able to convince The HanguanJun to observe his studio for the next few weeks along with a few other notes whining about how up-tight the man was.

He had a few meetings to attend in Gusu this week. What kind of brother would he be if he didn't stay at Wei Wuxian's apartment? His Jie would never forgive him.

This was why, at 9:00 pm on that Saturday night, he was halfway through a bottle of Emperor's Smile, listening to Wei Wuxian chatter about nothing and everything.

Wei Wuxian loved his liquor and apparently, the Emperor's Smile was Gusu's finest. He had moved to Gusu a few months ago claiming he needed to see a bit of the world and gain inspiration for his next film. Jiang Cheng and his sister knew better; it was because of their mom.

They all tried reaching out more, but their sister could only visit so much now that she was a mother, Jiang Cheng had been leading the family studio, Lotus Media, while generally overseeing the other sub-companies, it took a lot of effort to clear his schedule or even manipulate around it.

"Ah, how I love this wine. Not too sour, not too sweet. Delicate to the tongue, and wonderfully refined," Wei Wuxian gushed, drinking another cup.

"When would you stop speaking of wine like you're courting a lady?" Jiang Cheng scoffed, grabbing a few chips from the bowl.

"Jiang Cheng, don't be like that. Liquor has feelings too, you know?" he pouted.

He rolled his eyes at him wondering how the man was older than him.

“How is uncle Jiang and Madam Yu?” 

“They’re well, sending their regards, Mom’s still insufferable. Really it’s a wonder how we can’t miss each other with how big Lotus Pier is.”

“Oh come on, she just wants what’s best for everyone, that’s all.”

“As if,” Jiang Cheng scoffed. “She and Dad barely speak at all and when they do they’re usually fighting, had to start eating dinner at my quarters now.” The Emperor's Smile was a lot stronger than he remembered. He would barely say this much on an average day. 

“Wow, that bad huh?” Wei Wuxian suddenly sounded more sombre than he should have and Jiang Cheng felt a tug of guilt at his gut. 

“Stop fucking blaming yourself for it,” he said, punching his shoulder. “It isn’t your fault.”

“I’d tell you the same thing too,” he chuckled. “Shijie’s planning to visit soon, maybe in a month’s time with Jin Ling and the peacock, she says he has some meetings here too so she’ll tag along.”

“Finally, at least you’ll eat something proper.”

“Aww, my baby brother’s worried about me.”

“Asshole.” 

“A-Cheng loves meeee.”

“Gosh, you’re so annoying.”

“But you Lovveeee meeee.” 

“Go to sleep Wei Wuxian,” he smacked his arm before walking back to the guest room, hiding his smirk. 

  
  


Lan Xichen was a gentle soul, at least until someone attempted to hurt his brother, they’d be courting death. They were at one of the fancy restaurants not so close to the family house. He made it a point of duty to have lunch on Sundays with his brother, if not for any other reason, to keep him grounded amidst all the chaos that came with being in charge of the Lan dynasty. His week was always a blend of meetings and presentations and meetings and presentations every single day. Worst of all were the events he had to attend, mingling with stuck up businessmen, few of them were genuinely friendly, most of them would come off as the typical ‘ruthless CEOs’ too caught up in the whirlwind of running their companies that they most likely forgot they were human as well. It was a place Lan Xichen never hoped to be at, the idea of losing one’s self to something so trivial as work was terrifying. 

He looked across the table to Wangji who was still picking his food. The both of them were exhausted, and this was a safe space, without their uncle’s rules looming over them, they could talk a bit more freely now. Xichen could pinch his brother’s cheeks and tease him till his ears went red. 

“How are rehearsals for the charity going?”

“It’s fine” Wangji started “I have not perfected some of the turns yet, and some of my teammates are not so used to these types of dances so it’s harder for them to catch up,” he added after getting a look from his brother. Xichen-ge always wanted him to use his words sometimes. 

“You’re worried about what uncle might think.” 

“Mn.”

“You’ll do great Wangji, you’re really talented.” 

“Thank you.” 

“You seem distracted, anything new at the studio?” Xichen smirked. “Did you meet someone? Is he pretty?”

“It’s…” Wangji was conflicted again. “Yes, he’s pretty.”

“Ah, tell me about him. Is it someone we know?” 

“His name is Wei Wuxian, he’s affiliated with the Jiang Clan.”

“Oh, I remember meeting him at an event one time, charming boy, mischievous too. From what I know they barely allow him to attend social functions because of it, although I find him quite interesting. How’d you meet him?”

“He’s working at the studio for now.”

“No way!”

“He’s there for research, his new movie. He would be around for a few weeks.”

“You have to ask him out.”

Wangji choked on his salad. 

“You’re so dramatic,” Xichen chuckled, passing him a glass of water. 

“He doesn’t feel the same way.”

“Oh please, Wangji. You’re amazing, and fun to tease. I mean who could resist those cheeks!” he reached out to tug at them making Wangji flush. 

“How is work going?” 

“Normal, meetings, presentations, rinse and repeat. A few of those events here and there. Oh, there’s an exhibition happening soon, I’m not sure when but you should come, bring your crush too.”

“Brother, stop teasing me,” Wangji said in what could almost pass for a whine. 

“Nope, we barely see each other these days, I am taking full advantage of it.”

“Ridiculous.”

“Nie Mingjue and HuaiSang should drop by soon. HauiSang would be excited to see you this time, he’s grown much. He teaches calligraphy to kids now and he paints too.”

“I am aware, he keeps me up to date with his affairs.”

“Oh really, that’s nice.”

“It’s a welcome distraction sometimes, he keeps up with almost all the trending topics, it's strange.”

“He’s very social, His brother didn’t seem to appreciate it much before, but he’s finally accepting it I guess.”

“Mn.”

They caught up on some other news going on around Gusu, before leaving for home. 

  
  
  
  


Monday mornings were the same for Xichen as they were for Wangji, they both left home early; Wangji to his studio and Xichen to the office. The Lan Dynasty was wide, the Lan clan practically owned almost all the major businesses in Gusu by acquiring them over the centuries and expanding, but the major part they dealt in was the Lan Properties, which was where Xichen had to direct most of his efforts while overseeing the others. Sometimes it could get very confusing but it was a good thing he had an efficient personal assistant. 

He found himself slipping out of his routine at noon. One of his meetings was seriously getting out of hand. A major member of the board felt it was necessary to take a jab at his sexual orientation, and although the other members called him out on it and reprimanded him it was really not the kind of thing he wanted to start the week with. It was already bad enough that the month that just began was the memorial of his A-Yao’s death. He already had that underlying sadness that accompanied the memory, but times weren’t as it was in ancient times where one could just go into seclusion whenever they knew a storm was brewing within. He had to power through the meeting with the same gentle smile that saw him through the storms of life when people could be nothing but self-centred and rude. 

So here he was, sitting by a corner table at the small cafe next to his office. He probably owned it but he didn’t even care about all that now. What he cared about was drinking the coffee that sat in front of him like some mystic object he couldn’t seem to place. He never really tried coffee, he preferred his teas, it helped with meditation and centring oneself. Right now he wanted to try it, if it would give him a little energy boost he definitely wouldn’t mind; alcohol was too risky for him. 

A-Yao never fancied a coffee, always saying Xichen was much too refined for it. 

_ It was a few days before the start of their finals, Lan Xichen and his boyfriend Jin GuangYao shared an apartment together. Xichen had already studied but he wasn’t confident as he wanted. He still had an entire topic he did not fully understand. His uncle was going to kill him if his grades dropped by a decimal point.  _

_ He was a Real Estate Management major and his uncle insisted on him taking a business course on the side; “Your duties as the head of the Lan Dynasty would begin a year after your graduation, you need all the knowledge you can get” was his uncle’s reasons. He understood. His uncle had been in charge of his father’s duties since Xichen was six, his father went into depression then passed away. His Uncle had taken on his responsibilities before he became of age and now it was time for him to rise up to the occasion.  _

_ It’s not like he wasn’t grateful for the opportunity, it was just a lot for a twenty-one-year-old at the time. University was not as difficult as others took it to be, he liked studying and learning new things. Most of the Lans were scholars, after all, it was only natural. So far he had aced all his exams without much struggle. But now, facing the final exam of the semester, while working on his project thesis with a supervisor that was very unkind was not easy. Added to that, his certification exams were fast approaching as well. He had no time to spend volunteering at the animal shelter or the music club, without his stress-relieving activities he was practically going insane.  _

_ Drastic times called for drastic measures, hence he found himself chugging cups of coffee after coffee, night after night, so he could catch up on his studies. That didn’t go so well for him; the hyperactivity was welcome at first, till he started passing out earlier than he should and waking up with a horrible headache.  _

_ Jin GuangYao had taken care of him the next morning. “A-Huan, your system really can’t process coffee. You’re too refined for it. I’ll brew tea, rest a bit” _

_ That was the last time he resorted to caffeine when he was stressed. Till A-Yao died and he had to run the company while grieving. That too didn’t sit well with him.  _

  
  
  


Maybe one cup wouldn’t hurt, right? He was 28 already, he wasn’t supposed to be thinking about caffeine like it was some philosophical debate. He sighed realizing how pitiful he could be sometimes, at this rate he would probably end up like his father; despite all his attempts at not becoming him. 

He was still contemplating when he saw a purple sweatshirt seating across him. 

“Zewu-Jun, are you going to drink that?” Jiang Cheng asked, with his toneless snide than he would have if it was his brother. 

He had seen Xichen walk in, with no trace of his usual smile on his lips; head hung low and the cloud of exhaustion around his aura. This was the first time Jiang Cheng had seen the older man like this. He had met Lan Xichen a couple of times during the annual discussion conference and for all he’d seen, Lan Xichen was not one to let his negative emotions out so often. 

He felt he should leave him alone to brood, maybe that was what he needed, but found his body moving towards the man’s table.

“Jiang Wanyin, when did you arrive at Gusu? Had I known, Cloud Recesses would have been more than happy to host you.” It was normal among the five major clans to host one another, a sign of goodwill and what not. 

“I’m honoured Zewu-jun, but there will be no need. I’m staying with my brother and I’ll be back home in about three days no need to worry.”

“Very well then,” he said with a small smile, then went back to staring at his coffee. 

Jiang Cheng rolled his eyes then took the coffee off the table replacing it with a different cup. 

“Coffee won’t do you any good right now, have tea instead.” 

Xichen looked at Jiang Cheng, then back at the new cup in front of him curiously. Not having the energy to complain, he gave in and drank the tea. It was a mix of chamomile and peppermint, one of his favourite blends. 

Jiang Cheng took his time staring at the man while he sipped his tea. His eyes were golden, a very dark shade of gold, kind and warm. Skin fair and smooth, made him wonder if Lan Xichen would have a skincare routine for a bit then decided the man probably did; you don’t become the most handsome bachelor in their land without putting in some form of effort right? Lan Xichen was taller than him, about two heads taller but he didn’t seem intimidating with his build, rather he came off as dependable; someone you’d run  _ to _ rather than away from.

Despite the number of times they had met during events, this was the first time he had seen The Zewu-Jun like this; slightly disoriented and drained. He had looked up to the man since he was a kid, admiring his grace and air of hospitality. Sometimes, Jiang Cheng wished he was as warm and welcoming as him, but unfortunately, he took his mother's temperament; sharp tongue and quick-tempered. He was working on it, but old habits were a bitch to get rid of.

“I suppose running the Lan dynasty never gets easier,” Jiang Cheng said, breaking the comfortable silence.

“It never does really. One would think I might have gotten used to it by now, but I suppose one can never truly get used to this much pressure.”

“True that,” he said then gulped down the cold coffee. “Sometimes I’d really like to take a vacation somewhere out of the country you know? Maybe a beachside type of place and go swimming or something,” he shrugged. 

“That’ll be nice. Gusu’s usually really cold, we don’t have beaches around here.”

“Figures. The weather here’s really good for sleeping in though,” he joked. “I’m sure my brother’s so pained he can’t take full advantage of that now; Haunguan-jun would kill him if he was late.”

Lan Xichen chuckled at the thought, his brother would probably get dramatic again thinking his crush would not show up then play though after. “That would be fun to watch.”

Jiang Cheng found this man cute. That was not a word he usually describes people with, so far only Jing Ling ever been cute in his eyes, and maybe Jing Ling’s dog Fairy. But a grown man much older than he was,  _ cute;  _ that was a first. 

He heard his phone beep, that was the reminder that he needed to start getting ready for his meeting with the head of Wang industries. 

“I’ll have to get going now, work calls,” he rolled his eyes. 

“I’d better do the same, my assistant is probably losing her mind right now,” he smiled

“We wouldn’t want that now would we?” he stood up. “Nice seeing you, Zewu-jun.”

“You too, Jiang Wanyin.”

Maybe the day was not so horrible after all Xichen thought to himself, his smile becoming more genuine after the man left.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Soo XiCheng ...anyone?  
> I really hope I did well to their dynamic here and the brotherhood chats!
> 
> find me on Twitter @turtleduckling_


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> *Jealous lan zhan  
> *Wei Ying being a flirt  
> *lan brothers  
> *Wei Ying being a chaotic mess

**Chapter Four**

The bus left early that morning. Luckily, Wei Wuxian had quickly adapted to Lan Wangji’s punctuality rules. He could almost bet the bus would leave without him that morning. The journey to the neighbouring town was two hours and Wangji was one to plan properly and stick to schedules. 

He picked his bag getting an extra memory card, batteries, and his camera. The bus was waiting at the park. Wangji was doing a headcount for the students and the staff that was coming with them. He had just called his name a second time when he got to them. 

“Here! Here! I’m here,” He called out raising his hand. “See, I’m not late,” he grinned. 

Wangji ignored him and continued calling the other names on his list. 

Wei Wuxian sat next to Zu Yin, letting her take the window seat for a bit more flexibility. 

“Hey, check this out,” he said nudging her with his elbow. It was a picture of her during a dress rehearsal for her solo. He had made some edits to it, majorly with the lighting. 

“Wow, it’s so pretty.”

“Well, obviously.” 

“You made me look good in it,” she giggled. “I just hope the judges think so when we’re on stage.”

“You’ll do great. Hanguan-jun seems to think so.”

“Really? Sometimes I can’t tell with Lan-laoshi. His face is always so blank all the time.”

“I agree. I’m guessing he saves it for his dances. I mean just look at this.” He went through some of the pictures on his phone and showed her one of Wangji’s pictures taken while he was practicing the fan dance. 

“Wow….” she exclaimed. “It feels so different when Lan-laoshi dances. He just comes alive you know? That’s one of the reasons the girls and I chose to study at cloud studio. He is so professional...and very handsome too.” 

“Ah-ha! I knew it!” Xa Ling said, pushing her head in-between the seats from behind them. “I knew you had a crush on Hanguan-jun, ah-ha!”

“Oh please, who doesn’t, he’s like, so handsome,” Zu Yin defended “Don’t you think so, Mr. Wei?”

“Mn, yes. I agree,” he chuckled. 

“See?”

Xa Ling rolled her eyes dramatically. “Fine, but I prefer Mr. Wei. He has a pretty smile,” she winked at him, making him laugh. 

“I’m flattered, Miss Xa,” he was already turning red, very few girls were this forward with him.

“Just ignore her, she’s always like that.”

“Ohh,” he nodded. “How long have you guys been dancing together?”

“About five years now, but it has not always been official. Five of us have been really good friends since we were in high school and we all loved to dance, that’s me, Xa Ling, Wu Su, Ye Xiu, and Ma Jie. We started taking dance lessons two years ago before we started our training here a few months ago.”

“Yeah, it’s been nice until you come late then you get to stay back for extra hours to rehearse again. Haunguan-jun says it has to be perfect.” Xa Ling chipped in

“Yes and sometimes we have to do callisthenics if we get noisy or unserious. It can get really intense,” Wu Su added, joining the conversation.

“Oh wow, that  _ is _ intense. How come you all get the routines really fast after you’re shown the moves a few times?”

“Muscle memory, it’s easier to memorize them if your body’s used to dancing, it just flows,” Zu Yin explained. 

“Ooh,” he nodded. 

The conversation went on for most of the ride, then Wei Wuxian decided to take a few pictures for the Instagram page. 

Few seats ahead, Lan Wangji was drowning in vinegar. He heard the giggles at first, then Xa Ling’s compliment at Wei Ying. She wasn’t wrong though, Wei Ying’s smile was too much for mere mortals to bask in but that didn’t mean she should flirt with him! At this time he regretted leaving his headphones at home. He usually didn’t take it with him for trips since he didn’t want any distractions, as if Wei Ying being in the same space as him wasn’t enough to distract him. 

He was still trying to calm himself down when he got a text from his brother. 

Da-ge:  _ Hello Wangji _

Da-ge:  _ I just arrived in Lanling and saw some really cute sweatshirts at the mall. Which of them do you want? 😏 _

Wangji:  _ Hello, Da-ge. _

Wangji:  _ I do not need more sweatshirts, thank you. _

Da-ge:  _ oh come on Wangji, just pick one. Indulge me 🥺 _

Wangji :  _ I have been indulging you since you started college, ge. _

Wangji:  _ The deeper blue. _

Da-ge :  _ Great, it’ll match with the ears😌 _

Wangji:  _ Da-ge! _

Da-ge:  _ okay okay, no ears this time.  _

Wangji:  _ Would you be staying at Koi tower? I remember Jin Zixuan offered the last time.  _

Da-ge:  _ I would. It would be rude not to after declining twice.  _

Wangji knew his brother had never fully recovered from the death of Jin Guayao, the Koi tower would bring back memories for him, but Xichen would rather smile and hope for the best while facing things like that. It worried him a bit, but Xichen could take care of himself, right?

Wangji:  _ You do not have to if you do not wish to.  _

Da-ge:  _ I know. Thanks, didi _

Da-ge:  _ I have to get going now, good luck at the competition today. We’ll talk later.  _

Wangji:  _ Goodbye, da-ge, take care. _

The bus arrived at the center early enough. A few other teams had come in from other states as well as the local teams. The competition was going to last a while, he could tell. But it was all part of the fun. Letting the girls see other dancers and compete would give them better motivation to work harder. If they wanted to go big in the entertainment industry they needed to be used to competing and working very hard. 

He gave the security their names and got their assigned dressing room backstage. The girls started getting into their costumes and having their makeup done while he sorted out their numbers and order of how they would come on stage. Wei Ying was occupied taking pictures and questioning the other staff about angles for some reason Wangji guessed was because of his job as a photographer. 

Wangji was just about to enter the room and give the girls a brief when he heard someone calling him.

“Hanguan-jun..” It was Su She. His dance studio was in Gusu as well, almost good enough to compete with Cloud studio but his students never seemed to win. “I see you brought your little ducklings today. Why aren’t they at a bigger stage, huh? Losing your touch?”

Wangji ignored him and walked into the room. 

“I thought Hanguan-jun is known for his courteous nature, but he can’t even exchange pleasantries, huh,” he said with a mock clap. 

“You should leave now, otherwise I would call security,” Wangji replied, almost bored with the man’s antics. 

“What is it? We’re not wealthy enough to breathe the same air as you?”

“Ah Lan Zhan, I have a few things I need to check with you,” Wei Ying said while walking up to Wangji. 

“We’re in the middle of a conversation,” Su She said, clearing his throat. 

Wei Ying sized him up and looked back at Lan Zhan before saying. “Um, who are you?”

If faces could turn purple, that would be the definition of Su She’s face at that moment. “You!-”

_ ‘Dancers please get in position, we are about to begin,’  _ the voice from the speakers announced. 

“I suppose you have to get going now, your students might need an extra rehearsal,” Wei Ying said, making a shooing motion with his hand. 

“Ha, when we win you wouldn’t have the nerve,” Su She huffed then left the room. 

“If you say so,” Wei Ying rolled his eyes, clearly understanding why Lan Zhan didn’t want to interact with the man. He has slime and insecurity written all over him. Very pitiful really. 

“Who the hell was that guy?” He asked no one in particular. 

“He’s Mr. Su She. He owns a dance studio in Gusu as well. He used to work at Cloud Studio before he started his company,” Zu Yin answered. 

“He is so annoying,” Xa Ling rolled her eyes. “Every time we bump into them in a competition he always tries to trash talk us or Lan-Laoshi. I think he’s just really jealous, cause he doesn’t teach so well- aiyoh! what?!” She held her arm when Zu Yin nudged her with her elbow. 

“Do not talk about others behind their back,” Lan Zhan reminded her.

“Sorry Lan-laoshi,” she said shyly. Fortunately, he didn’t punish her to copy out their code of ethics section a hundred times this time. She figured it was because he inwardly agreed with her. 

“It’s almost time for your performance. Remember; do your best and enjoy the moments as well,” Wangji said to the girls with a slight nod. 

  
  


The competition went on for a few hours before finally coming to an end. Wei Ying only sat next to Wangji after all their students had performed. He knew he would get some of the videos from the organizers but he was bent on getting something for their social media page; apparently, the guy had a knack for things like that. Wangji wasn’t surprised though, Wei Ying had always been a social butterfly and a creative one at that. He was just grateful when he finally sat next to him while they called out the rankings of each performance. 

Wangji was quite proud of his students, especially the group performance. It was practically flawless and their synergy was very impressive as well as their precision and expression. He wasn’t shocked when they placed first. Practically all the other groups came in first as well apart from Xa Ling’s duet piece, she missed a step and it threw her off balance for a bit, but he was quite impressed with how quickly she pulled herself together, they came in second. 

“Congratulations guys! You all were amazing!” Wei Ying exclaimed walking into the room first. He’d literally been shouting in the crowds whenever it was time for the applause. He was that parent in the crowd that would come with a handmade banner with their kid’s picture and cheer the loudest to support their kid.

“Thank you, Mr. Wei,” they chimed. Xa Ling’s face was getting puffy already from crying. She didn’t want Hanguan-jun to be disappointed in her.

“Congratulations, everyone. You’ve done well,” Wangji told the girls who squealed from getting praise from their teacher. “Xa Ling, a word please.”

She walked with him to the side of the room “Lan-laoshi...I…” she burst into tears. “I’m sorry...I just didn’t know what happened...and-"

“Why are you crying?” he questioned, handing her his handkerchief. “You’re human, mistakes happen. You did your best and you pulled through quickly enough. You did well today, mn?” This was the best attempt he could at comforting someone. His brother was better at this type of thing.

Xa Ling nodded, drying her cheeks with the cloth. “I’ll work harder next time. Thank you Lan-laoshi,” she beamed then ran off. 

They took a couple more pictures, then got on the bus. 

“Hey Lan Zhan, I saved you a seat,” he said scooting over to the side. 

Lan Zhan wordlessly took the seat, thankful he would not have to spend two hours trying to meditate. 

“Congratulations, Lan-laoshi. Your students practically took all the awards!” Wei Ying beamed. 

“Thank you.”

“You’re proud of them aren’t you?”

“Mn.”

“They adore you so much you know. In more ways than one,” he giggled. “You must be hungry. I got you some Latiao, try it.” 

Wangji had never been one to snack on things, he preferred a proper meal, but he really could not refuse Wei Ying of anything. 

“Thank you.” He took a stick and bit it. The first thing he could taste was the spice, and it was hot! 

He had a really soft palette and was used to milder tastes. He had almost forgotten Wei Ying’s love for spicy food. This was one thing he could not understand. It felt like a furnace in his mouth. His face was already turning red and he could feel himself panting through his mouth. 

“Oh fuck, you don’t do well with spice,” Wei Ying swore, quickly opening and handing him a bottle of yogurt. “I’m really sorry, I didn’t know your taste bud was really sensitive and this was the mild version of the Latiaos, ...gosh so stupid.” he raised his palm to his forehead.

“Its... it’s okay.”

“Of course you’d say that Lan Zhan, you’re always polite,” he smiled. “I’m going to treat you to lunch sometime for this.”

Wangji wasn’t sure if he dreamt this up but even after resumed, he was still giddy with excitement for a while. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hiiiiii!  
> So I just got an urgent call to serve my country at a camp for three weeks and wouldn't be with my laptop for three whole weeks!
> 
> I feel so pained i would not be able to update during this period but I will make up for it once I'm back!  
> who knows inspiration might just come  
> thanks for reading!  
> Leave a comment!

**Author's Note:**

> So this is my first Fanfic hope you all enjoy it! feel free to leave a comment on what you think.  
> I'm on Twitter as @turtleduckling_


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